Wikipedia defines Senioritis as: a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance. (Since Senioritis isn’t a real word, Webster’s couldn’t be used for reference)
Well let me tell you that the use of “supposed” is way out in left field. Senioritis is one of the few diseases with lots of symptoms but is difficult to diagnose. For those who have been to high school, this is real. For those who have gone through college know that Senioritis is real. And above all, those who are working to become doctors know that this is real! I applaud my wife often for her persistence in wanting to become a doctor.
My wife is in her fourth year now, which has many changes from third year. She doesn’t go to a physical classroom, but has some online classes. Most of the work involving fourth year students is in a hospital or clinic setting, where they learn more hands-on. My wife sees patients on a regular basis, which is much different than learning from textbooks.
One characteristic of a fourth year medical student that tends not to be found in first year students is Senioritis. I remember when my wife and I were in high school during our senior year. Both of us just wanted it to end so that we could get on with the next phase of our lives. We encountered the same circumstances toward the end of Undergrad. We were looking forward to the time when we would venture to Toledo for her to become an MD.
My Perspective
If I were in her shoes, I would want to get out about now. She has completed elementary, middle, and high school. Then went on to college and is about to complete graduate school. To track time we can figure that K-12 is 13 years, undergrad is 4 years and medical school is 4 years. That means that this spring she will have spent 21 years of her life working to become a doctor in schooling. That’s so much! I thought that ending after undergrad was plenty for myself.
She has felt the strain of being in education for so long, but has been strong and pressed on to reach her goal of becoming an MD. For me, completing a 4 year degree after grade school was plenty. School isn’t my favorite thing and I’m sure others feel the same. We are excitedly looking forward to the next steps in her education and our lives.
Senioritis tends to be negative but there are positive attributes that can make it beneficial for people. Longing and striving to reach goals is important for health in our lives. A challenge too great could result in failure, but how do we know that we have given it our all? It is difficult to know when we have given too much or too little. Something to keep in mind is to strive to avoid burnout and maintain motivation.
How We Manage
Experiencing Senioritis can make us stronger and more comfortable with being uncomfortable. It is difficult for us to become stronger, better, or more efficient without being challenged. I think one of the greatest remedies is motivation from those around the student. If you’ve ever tried doing things that make you uncomfortable and unmotivated by yourself, it’s not easy. I still tell myself (nearly) every day that I’m going to workout when I get home, but haven’t been consistent in participating. It’s not that I don’t want to do it, but it’s difficult to self motivate after a long day at work.
I choose to rally behind my wife through being vocal with her because my wife’s love language is “words of affirmation.” I have used this as the primary means of motivating her throughout medical school. I make the effort to tell her on a regular basis that I think she is doing a great job. Our families send her messages before tests and are eager to hear the results when she is done. We (our families) set out to encourage each other in each other’s lives.
Working through hardships of school and being anxious for the next steps of life has been a constant battle. It is normal to feel this way. I don’t think that it’s something that we can totally get over, but we can do our best to keep pressing on.